Sublime
by Bored Gay Artist
Summary: Shadilver and one sided Mephadow in the future. Rated M for possible strong language, violence, and possible sexual themes in the future. Silver, having been traumatized by the loss of his dear friend, separates himself apart from everyone else. Little does he realize that one particular hedgehog understands him far more than anyone else.
1. Daydreams

**( Hey, its the author, just wanted to get the first things out of the way. Disclaimer: Sonic the hedgehog does not belong to me, and all other Sega characters belong to Sega and Sonic Team respectively. Also, this is my first story so... Please let me know how I am doing. )**

A gentle breeze stirs the stillness of day, making leaves and various plants shake slowly as if they were trying to pull off a choreographed dance. There was a slight chill in the air, crisp but yet relaxing. The soft clacking of shoes sounded as small feet strode forward on solid concrete. Occasionally dodging a few speed walkers, the hedgehog increased his walking speed. He was quite late to his meeting, of which was at a café. But no matter how hard he tried, he just simply couldn't find the building he was so desperately searching for.

Sighing, he turned a corner and looked at his watch. He squints his eyes to check the time. It was well past the time he was supposed to be there, and knowing this, the hedgehog took a sit on the cold concrete. He looks up at the sky, squinting once again. The sunlight reflected off of him, due to his white color. Running his fingers through the coarse fur on his chest, he went over his options in his head. He pouts, coming to a realization that none of them ended in something he wanted. He would either have to go home, and apologize to his friend that he couldn't make it, or find the café and come up with a reasonable excuse.

Without warning, a voice piped in, breaking his thoughts. "Hey, Silver! You look kinda down. What's up?" As the white hedgehog raised his head, he saw a figure standing before him. It was one of his other dear friends, Sonic the hedgehog. Beloved to all, with an exception of his arch nemesis Doctor Eggman, the hero was always seen running to who knows where. Realizing he had yet to respond, Silver rubs his face. "Yeah, I'm good... But I'm late."

Tilting his head slightly, the blue hero asked what his companion was late for. Silver shakes his head. "It's too late. I was supposed to meet up with Blaze at some café. But I'm lost and I have no idea where the dang place is." Smiling, Sonic offers Silver his hand. "Is that really all, Silver?" Taking Sonic's hand, the white hedgehog stood up and brushed himself off as he nodded.

"That isn't so bad!" The cerulean hedgehog smiles, obviously not too concerned about Silver's dilemma. "Easy for you to say... I've done this for the third time in a row. She probably thinks I'm avoiding her!" Silver rubs his cheek, thinking of all the consequences that would come of this. "Well, are you?" Sonic queried. Eyes wide, Silver looks at the hero. "Of course not! It's just that... Well, this city is so big. A-and it's a bit hard to navigate," The younger hedgehog had suddenly become sheepish, exposing how embarrassed he was at the idea. Sonic sees this and simply chuckles. "Hey! Chin up! Lots of people get lost! Here, I'll even take you to the café! What's the name of it? I've been running around here so long, I can name every corner!"

Touched and faintly surprised by Sonic's offer, he tells the hedgehog what he needs to. "Alright! Hang on!" Silver was confused by that statement. But he had no time to react, as it was only a split second before Sonic had grabbed his hand and was speeding across town. Another split second later, they were at the café. Silver sighs, as relief floods through him. "You're a lifesaver, Sonic." Sonic simply gives him a thumbs up, along with his signiture smile. "See you later, buddy! I gotta dash!" And right after that, Sonic speeds away, leaving strong winds behind him.

Silver hesitates a moment before entering his designated place. _What if Blaze left because I wasn't here on time?_ His heart sinks at the thought. He hated disappointing his dearest friend like that. Truth be told, being lost was only half the story. But he didn't want to think about that now. He had to go in there and find Blaze. Whatever the punishment, Silver was going to face it without hesitance. He needed to learn his lesson for once.

Walking into the establishment, Silver's yellow eyes dart from corner to corner, desperately looking for his feline friend. His heart soars as he sees her in a booth, stirring her coffee with a small spoon. But guilt sweeps over him when he realizes how lonely she looked. She desperately held onto the thought that her white companion was still going to show. Silver figures that he will apologize immediately. It's the best he could do as of that moment.

Taking large strides over to the booth, Silver bites his bottom lip. _I hope she isn't too mad..._ Hearing approaching footsteps, the feline perks her ears. Looking up, Blaze sees the nervous look on Silver's face. She blinks then looks back down at her coffee, still quite calm. "You're late. Again." Silver, having taken a seat in front of her, was fiddling with his fingers. "Yeah... I-I'm really sorry, Blaze. Things have been on my mind and-"

Blaze raises a hand, silencing him. She looks up from her coffee, smiling just a bit. "Silver, it's fine. I understand that you're getting used to the big city. I'm not mad, if that's what you're thinking." Silver releases a huge sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't have to worry about hurting their friendship. "Thanks, Blaze... You have no idea how stressful it has been for me in the past week." Blaze rests her hand upon Silver's, making him look. It calmed him in a way, and Blaze knew that. "Of course, Silver. You're my friend, and it would be quite strange to get mad at you for something that is totally understandable."

Silver smiles brightly, knowing that Blaze had made a fair point. Blaze had always been so reserved and tranquil. At least, she always was around Silver. Deciding to break the slight tension between the two, Silver asks why Blaze chose a café that sold mostly coffee. Blazs smirks, and answers with a simple statement. "I only did it because I know how much you love coffee." Warmed by her sweet gesture, another bright smile purses Silver's lips. Before he could respond, Blaze in turn asked Silver a question. "By they way, if you were so lost how did you get here?" Silver responds and tells her how the blue blur himself had helped. Blaze looks away, thinking. "Sonic, huh? I believe it. And speaking of Sonic, have you heard about Shadow trying to start something with him? I've heard they've been fighting lately. I wonder what about..."

Tuning out of the real world, Silver thinks about Shadow. The last time the two talked, it was only briefly and because they were after the same chaos emerald. In the end, Silver ended up finding it and getting away. But his thoughts drifted back to Shadow. His confident stance, his toned muscles, his brooding nature... and eyes that seemed to be made of velvet. However, they weren't as soft as velvet as much as Silver had wished. In fact, they were quite cold and menacing. But that was Shadow, anti-social and glad of it. He definitely wasn't the friendly type. But Silver had always searched for something more in him. He pouts a little. He could never pinpoint exactly _what_ he was looking for, but...

"Silver!"

Silver quickly turned his attention back to Blaze, who was staring back at him. He blinks. She clears her throat. "What?" Silver asked, in confusion. _Had she asked a question and I wasn't p_ _aying attention?_ "I _said_... What do you think about Shadow?"

Silver gulps, unsure how to answer. He didn't nescessarily know how he felt about the ebony hedgehog. "He's... okay..." He wasn't lying, but Shadow was definitely more than just 'okay' to Silver. Blaze yawns. "He's honestly a bore. Once you get to know him, you know how he'll react to every situation. You could read the guy like a book. He's so predictable." Silver had to disagree, but kept quiet anyway. The feline started speaking again. "He jumps into every situation. Sonic does that too, but... he's much more..." She shrugs. "He's more prepared, I guess I would say." He knew that Blaze was was taking her personal bias about Sonic into her statements. She preferred the blue hero over Shadow any day, despite the fact that both Blaze and Shadow could work together if they put their minds to it.

As if it had summoned him, the said ebony hedgehog had walked into the café. Silver turns around to see, but wasn't expecting Shadow to be staring directly at him. His heart starts to race. What did Shadow want from him? _Is he still mad about me getting away with the chaos emerald?_

 **( Alright, that's the end of the chapter for now. What do you think will happen next? Will Silver face trouble with Shadow? Or does Shadow have another reason for being there? Next chapter will be out soon. )**


	2. Cat and Mouse

**( Disclaimer: Sonic the hedgehog does not belong to me, and belongs to Sega and Sonic Team respectively. )**

Filled with slight fear, Silver continues to stare at the ebony hedgehog. What is he doing here? Is he after the chaos emerald? While the young hedgehog pondered, Shadow walks over to the duo. Catching a nasty glare from Blaze, Shadow glares back at her.

"Blaze..." Shadow stood stiffly, as if he wanted to start a fight with the violet feline. Blaze only hissed in response. Turning his head to look at Silver, he saw that he was looking quite unsettled. The air only grew more tense as the deafening silence continued. Silver loathed being in situations like these... So he clears his throat, hoping to start a conversation. "So... W-what are you doing here?" The ivory hedgehog asked in a shaky voice, trying to keep his cool. Putting his hands on the table and leaning forward, Shadow speaks in a low, menacing voice. "You know exactly what I want." Shaking, Silver gulps. Daring to be ignorant, Silver shook his head. "A-actually, I-I don't..." At this remark, Shadow squints and leans closer. Silver could feel his heart ready to beat right out of his chest. "The chaos emerald, you fool." Suspicions confirmed, Silver looks away. He was starting to sweat, from being so close to the brooding being.

Shifting his weight uncomfortably, Silver looks down. "I-I don't have it..." Shadow moves away from Silver, staring at how uncomfortable he was. A low growl arises in Blaze's throat. "Leave him alone, Shadow." Shadow crosses his arms, not believing one bit of what Silver had said. "Ooooh, okay... My mistake." His voice was nothing but strong sarcasm. "Maybe my chaos emerald was lying to me." Taking out a green chaos emerald, Shadow holds it up. A bright green light was pulsating from it, indicating that there was another emerald close by. "But oh wait, what's this? This can't be true. The chaos emeralds only glow when near each other, or when they are being used. So... Tell me." Shadow leans forward once again, seeing Silver shake. "Will I have to take it from you _forcefully_?" Waitresses and other customers looked on nervously.

Blaze hisses, pushing Shadow back. Stumbling a little bit, Shadow glares at Blaze. "Stay out of this, _cat_. This is between me and Silver." Blaze stands anyway, but Silver stops her. She looks at her friend, confusion in her gaze. Silver sighs, nodding. "He's right. It's between me and him, Blaze." The young hedgehog slowly stands. Then, suddenly, he grabs Blaze's wrist and both run out of the café. Shadow growls, then presses a button on his communicator. "Rouge! Backup! We need to trap them!"

Rouge, a white bat, presses on her communicator to respond. "Copy that. Lucky for you, I see him. With a purple cat, right?" Shadow was now running down the street, looking for them. "Yes. They have the emerald that we lost last time." Rouge scoffs as she looked down at the two running individuals from a building. "The emerald _you_ lost, sweetheart. Don't worry your little head off, though, I'll get it for you." She smirks, opening her wings. Flying down to Silver and Blaze, she sighs. Rouge always felt like she constantly had to cover up Shadow's mistakes. For whatever reason, he hadn't been doing as well as he should be. For the last week, anyway. She shakes her head, pushing the thought away. Now wasn't the time.

Landing on the concrete, Rouge faces the runaway duo. She smiles, putting out her hand. "Alright, kiddies. Give me the emerald here and now, and we won't have a fight." Before Silver can do anything, Blaze steps in front of him. Flattening her ears, she growls. Rouge wags her finger. "No, no, little kitty. Play nice, or your little friend is gonna get hurt." Suddenly, arms wrap around Silver tightly. Struggling to get out of his attacker's grip, he uses the heel of his boot to kick them in the shin. Blaze watches, but then perks her ears as she heard Rouge approaching her. Rouge scowls. "I wish he would be patient for once..." She cracks her knuckles. Blaze's hands light aflame, ready to defend herself. But Rouge was suddenly pushed back by an unseeable force, and landed hard against a cold wall. She groans, falling to the ground. Blaze looks back at Silver, who had taken out his attacker. The said attacker was Rouge's partner, Shadow. But before the ebony hedgehog could get back up, Silver lifts himself and his violet friend off of the ground and they zoom away into the skies.

Shadow watches, slamming his fist on the hard ground. Once again, the emerald had gotten away from him. Why am I being so clumsy?! I should've had that damn rock this time! Shadow lets his anger fade away. Being angry wouldn't help his situation much. He puts his face in his hands, quite irritated. He couldn't go back to G.U.N. HQ without that other emerald. He literally couldn't; They restricted his access until he brought it back. He rubs his face, anger slowly bubbling back up again. It wasn't his fault that someone else had it! His anger only rises more as he realizes it _was_ his fault. If Silver hadn't been there a week ago, he could have easily retrieved it and ended the mission. But his one slip up and he had let... _that_ happen.

 **Flashback** **To A Week Ago**

 _Shadow was racing around the docks, looking for the chaos emerald. There were supposedly no enemies in the area, so the ebony hedgehog didn't have much to worry about. Still, he had to be careful on the slick wooden area. He could easily slip, not that it would hurt him that much. But he was precautious anyway. Stopping to get a hold of his surroundings, his crimson eyes dart out towards the sunset. Varieties of red, yellow, and many other colors mixed and blended in the sky. It seemed like the whole world was a canvas, and light itself was the paint. He closes his eyes, and listens to the sound of the crashing waves. Seagulls called out to each other above, and small crustaceans crawled on the sands below. Plentiful amounts of life existed here. One just had to look in the right spots. Shadow felt at peace here, and was pondering the thought of gathering some seashells for Rouge. The white bat loved seashells, but mainly because she could turn them into jewelry. Shadow inhales deeply, then slowly exhales. His mission was to find the chaos emerald. Despite the lovely sound of waves licking the sand, he had to continue on his mission. Looking around once again, he takes in the last amount of bliss he can and continues on his way._

 _Seeing a light blue glow in the distance, Shadow takes out his green emerald and sees that it was glowing faintly as well. He smirks, then dashes over to the cliff where the light was spotted._ _Hopping up ledge by ledge, Shadow eventually reaches the light blue chaos emerald. He reaches for it, but is suddenly pushed off of the ledge by an invisible force. Shadow falls a few feet, but lands on another ledge. Winded, Shadow lies there, paralyzed._ _Yellow eyes peak over the edge. "S-sorry!" Shadow, hearing the familiar voice, looks up. It was the white hedgehog, Silver._

 _Looking down at Shadow, Silver sighs. He hadn't meant to hurt Shadow. But he needed this chaos emerald. Picking up said gem, Silver glances back over the edge. However, he did not see_ _the dark hedgehog lying there. Before he could react, Shadow tackles Silver down from behind. Both land on the hard rock, grunting. Silver struggles beneath Shadow's body, avoiding Shadow's gaze. Shadow snatches the emerald away from the young hedgehog. "Hmph! Nice try." Silver looks up at Shadow, looking apologetic. "Sorry for this..."_ Silver's knee suddenly hits Shadow's weak spot between his legs. Shadow groans, dropping the emerald. He lies back, curling up and holding the hurt spot. Silver gets up and grabs the priceless gem, but Shadow was determined he wasn't going to allow Silver to get away. _Shadow kicks Silver's shins, making Silver yelp and fall forward._

 _And it only took that one second for it to happen._ _One second for Silver to fall onto Shadow's warm body. One second to drop the shining chaos emerald. One second for the two hedgehogs' lips to press together and interlock. Breaking the accidental kiss, Silver slowly pushes himself up whilst staring into Shadow's deep red pools. Shadow stared back, his eyes locked with Silver's. Looking flustered, Silver blinks himself out of the trance. Realizing what had just happened, Silver uses his telekinesis to swiftly grab the emerald and fly off._ _However, Shadow lies there for a moment. He had still yet to process what exactly happened_ _. Then it clicks. He had just let Silver get away with his prize! He gives himself a facepalm. "Damn it... The commander isn't going to like this."_

 **End of Flashback**

Shadow played the scene over and over again. Why couldn't he move? _Silver must've used his telekinesis,_ Shadow thought. He then hears Rouge call out his name. She was walking over to him, cross. He could tell that she was angry by how loud her heels were clicking against the concrete. "You got impatient and ruined it for us! We could've gotten them but-" She groans irritably, rubbing her face. "Do you _like_ being punished by the commander?!" Shadow glares at her, getting up. "Hmph." Rouge mimics him, crossing her arms. "What's been _so_ much more important than G.U.N. that's been distracting you?" Dusting himself off, the dark hedgehog realizes that he couldn't honestly answer her. For he didn't know himself. So he just simply shrugs, which to Rouge, was the wrong response. Throwing her arms into the air, she yells at him. "Don't just shrug at me! You know that the commander's not gonna take that answer!" Shadow rolls his eyes. Rouge turns away, crossing her arms once again. She pouts, looking down. "I'm just worried for you, you big oaf. You can get yourself in serious trouble. And you know how everyone is still suspicious of you... I'm just trying to watch out for you."

Turning towards his partner, he replies. "Number one, I don't need you to look after me like some babysitter. Number two, I don't know what's wrong with me either. I've been trying to find that out, but I just can't put my finger on it. And number three, I'm going to get that damn rock if the commander trusts me or not." Sighing, Rouge looks over at him. She was no longer angry, just concerned. "I hope so, Shadow. For your sake. I'm going home for today. And please, be back at my house by at least nine o' clock. I don't want to find you on the street again." Shadow nods. Taking flight, Rouge soars off towards the other end of the city.

Forming his hands into fists, Shadow was more determined than ever to get that emerald. Even if he had to get dirty. Shadow looks up at the sky, silently promising himself that he would focus this time. He _had_ to get it this time. No exceptions.

 **XxX**

Silver, sitting on his couch, was staring at the dull gem on his coffee table. Although he had it, he had to admit; The chaos emerald wasn't really all important to him. He had taken it because he had needed to create a portal for Sonic, so the blue blur could find him and Tails a second emerald(Sonic and Tails already had one, which had helped create the portal). But after Sonic had gotten it, he had told Silver to keep his. As a 'thank you', he said. Silver never really thought about why he kept it. It was probably because Blaze had told him to. He shrugs to himself, not remembering. But he knew that it was better in his hands than Shadow's. What would Shadow do with it anyway? He already had one of his own anyway. "Maybe I should ask him..." And just as the words came out of his mouth, he realized that it would be a stupid idea. Agitating Shadow like that... A simple meet up would not turn out well for Silver.

Silver rests his chin on the palms of his hands, sighing. He felt bad for hurting Shadow once again. He didn't want to, but it had been in self defense. That was understandable, right? Perhaps he could apologize to the ebony hedgehog as well. Closing his eyes, Silver listens to the faint ticking of his wall clock. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ The rhythmic sound somehow soothed Silver. The slow passage of time. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ His mind drifted a bit. He started to think about Shadow again. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ The way the dark hedgehog had looked at him when they had kissed. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ The way he made Silver feel when the two had stared at each other. It sent shivers down his spine. He adored it, but... _Click clack, click clack..._ Silver opens his eyes and looks over to see Blaze approaching him.

"Silver, I'm going to leave Metropolis for a few days to take care of that emerald. Find a good hiding place for it," She states as she was putting her coat on. Silver blinks, slightly confused. "Why don't you just give it to Sonic?" Silver queried. Blaze shakes her head. "If he had three, he would be a huge target. Worse than now." Silver thinks about it and agrees, nodding. "Good point. But how far are you going?" The violet feline tells him not to worry. "I'll figure that out eventually. But just worry about yourself. Shadow will still be after you, and will wonder where it is. Don't give into him." A soft smile slowly purses Silver's lips. Blaze always did her best to look out for him. "Alright, Blaze. But you be careful yourself..." She nods, taking the green gem and exiting Silver's apartment. But then, at that very moment, Silver thought of a plan.


	3. Plan A

**( Disclaimer: Sonic the hedgehog and all other characters belong to Sega and Sonic Team respectively. )**

Silver had a plan. Smiling like an idiot, he ran every situation in his head. Most of them involved him getting hurt in some way, but he figured it was still worth going along with. Standing up, Silver walks into his kitchen to make himself some coffee. He was pretty proud of himself for thinking of it. In fact, he'll put it into action tomorrow. Putting coffee beans into a coffee filter, his heart flutters. But as he put everything together, he realized that he would have to gather all the courage he had to do this. His heart sinks a little. Closing his eyes, he listens to the soft popping of his coffee machine. Breathing in the sweet scent of newly brewing coffee, Silver relaxes. He had to have confidence in himself. _I can do this._

 **XxX**

Walking to back to Rouge's, Shadow thought about what he would do next. Silver would certainly go into hiding after learning that the ebony hedgehog was after him. If he had known where Silver resided, he'd check for the white hedgehog. But he didn't know if Silver even lived in Metropolis. Shaking his head, Shadow looks up at the night sky. Stopping for a second to survey the bright stars, he squints his eyes. He could swear he could see the Big Dipper constellation. Or was it the Little Dipper? He could never really tell. Continuing on his way, Shadow inhales deeply. Breathing in the chilly air, a small shiver runs down his spine. Winter was approaching, and fast. And he had yet to realize how cold it was getting until now.

Putting some extra speed in his step, the dark hedgehog continues to look around. There wasn't much in the city after dark, except for a few occasional clocks at bus stops. Looking up at one, he listens to the soft ticking of the hands. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ It was as if time itself was mocking him. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ Reminding him of how little time he had left to complete his mission. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ Oh, how it irked him. _Tick tock, tick tock..._ Shadow suddenly punches the base of the clock, making the light that illuminated the clock flicker and burn out.

"Do you ever control your temper?" Rouge comments, walking up. Shadow flicks an ear irritably. As much as he disliked her statement, he had to agree with her. He did have trouble controlling his anger. Rouge crosses her arms. "Well? Are you going to come in or not?" Shadow looks away, seeing that he was just a few houses away from Rouge's. "Don't have many other options, do I?" He looks back at her.

A bit later, Shadow was taking off his shoes while sitting on the mat outside. It was one of Rouge's stupid rules that you can't wear shoes in the house. Finally having both shoes off, Shadow stands and picks them up. Rouge was watching from the door but as the ebony hedgehog steps close, she wrinkles her nose. "Agh! Shadow, what is that smell?! Is it your shoes?!" Shadow shrugs. Rouge snatches his shoes away. "These need to be washed! In fact, give me all of your clothes!" Grumbling, Shadow takes off his gloves and socks. "You're ridiculous, woman..." Rouge grabs his last few belongings and quickly tosses them in her washer, clearly disgusted. "Shadow, when was the last time you even showered?! Actually! I don't want to know! Just go take a shower!"

Scowling, Shadow walks to Rouge's bathroom. Even though he thought she was overreacting, he had to respect her rules since she was allowing him to stay in her abode. Shadow closed the door behind him. Rouge's bathroom was always kept especially clean and tidy. Her shower had a natural rock pattern flooring and the wall was another similar pattern, but with a lighter color scheme. Stepping onto the purple mat, Shadow crouches down and turns the water on. Putting his hand under the sprinkling drops to feel the temperature, Shadow shrugs and gets in after thinking it was adequate. As he squints his eyes from the spray, he closes the sliding glass door. Shadow sighs as he leans against the shower wall, allowing the warm water to run along his spine.

"Gah..." He winces as he looks down at his shin, which was scraped and had a bruise. He couldn't see it, but he knew it was there because of how tender the area was. Shadow scowls once again, thinking about his last scuffle. "Damn..." Shadow rubs his face. Thinking about it even more, he realizes how reckless he really was. _Rouge probably could've handled it..._ He closes his eyes. _If I hadn't had grabbed Silver..._ Shaking his head, he decides to ignore it. Quickly washing himself off, Shadow starts to think about what the commander had said to him when he had come back from the failed mission.

 **Flashback** **To A Week Ago**

 _Shadow walks up to his commander's office, unsure of his reaction. Well, Shadow knew he would be angry, but not to what extent._ _He could already hear him pacing back and forth inside. Suppressing a sigh, Shadow opens the door and walks in. Turning to look at the hedgehog, the commander scowls angrily. "Agent Shadow! I'm disappointed in you!"_

 _Taking a seat in a chair, Shadow crosses his arms. "Nothing different, I see. I can explain-" The chief cuts him off. "You don't get any saying in this! How could you mess up something as easy as retrieving a damn rock?! What were you so caught up in, Agent Shadow?!" Shadow opens his mouth to reply, but once again the human interrupts him. "I don't want to hear your damn excuses! You get an excuse to everything, rat! Even murder!"_

 _Shadow's gaze hardens. He knew very well what the commander was talking about. He was talking about Maria. But Shadow hadn't even hurt Maria. Not once._ _It was G.U.N. who had really been the culprit. Their agents had shot Maria. But no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't convince the commander that he had been framed. And Shadow, sadly, remembered every gruesome detail. The blood, the fear, the agony... Sometimes, it simply hurt him too much to think about it._ _"You know I didn't kill her." The commander glares. "And that's another thing! I'm sick of your lies! You know, I could lock you up for all the felonies you've committed! Fifty years, like before!"_

 _Outraged, Shadow stands up and gets in his face. "I couldn't care less! Fifty years! One hundred years! One thousand years! You humans are all the same! You treat anything like shit if it isn't like you! If it doesn't fit your personal norm! And you'll all continue doing the same thing over and over until all of you are killed in the wars that **you** all started! So don't blame me, the only damn person who's trying to tell you the truth!"_

 _Smirking, the commanding officer puts his hand out. He had seemingly gotten the reaction he wanted. "How about a little deal, eh? You find the chaos emerald within three weeks, I'll put everything about you behind me. And if you don't, I lock you up." Shadow glances at his wrinkly hand, then back up at the officer himself. "Is that all I get? For years of torture, I finally get some peace?" Pouting, the officer asks what else Shadow would want. "Respect, first of all." Shadow replies bitterly. "And for god's sake, a pay raise. It's hard enough to just get around with everything costing so damn much." Shadow soon adds._

 _Rubbing his chin, the old officer nods. "Deal?" Shadow nods stiffly, then shakes his cold hand. "Deal." For a few seconds, the two stare at each other coldly, hostility in both of their eyes. "Three weeks, Shadow. Three." He states once more, reminding the dark hedgehog._

 **End of Flashback**

Shadow opens his eyes, realizing that he had two weeks left. "Damn... At this rate, I really am going to lose..." Shadow looks up, closing his eyes and allowing the water to pour onto his face. _But that's not gonna happen. And I'll make sure of that._

 **XxX**

Skipping happily with his hands behind his back, Silver looks around. "Shadow has to be here somewhere... I hope." Seeing someone in the distance, Silver stops and squints. It was a red echidna, with large boxing gloves. Thinking back a bit, Silver realizes who it was. It was Knuckles, one of Sonic's friends. "Maybe he knows where Shadow is..." The white hedgehog runs over. Knuckles, having been eating a burger, looks up at Silver. "Hey, Knuckles! Do you know where Shadow is?"

The echidna simply shakes his head, swallowing the food in his mouth. "No, but I know where you can find Rouge." Silver perks his ears, intrigued. Knuckles points behind himself. "She lives in the housing complex on the east side of the city. You know, where the big houses are. I forgot what her address is, but it's a pretty bright house. You'll know it's hers when you see it. Why are you trying to contact Shadow? Wanna make up for some lost time?" Knuckles cracks his... well, knuckles. "I could help you there if you want. I have some things to settle myself." Rubbing the back of his head, Silver says that isn't why. "Oh. Well, I hope you find him then. For whatever the reason." The white hedgehog quickly mutters a 'thank you' and runs off.

Searching for an hour or so, Silver finally sees a house that had jewels decorated on the door and windows. _Those aren't real, are they? No, they can't be. Rouge likes jewels too much to just put them where someone can take them._ Taking a few steps forward, Silver knocks on the door softly. After a minute or two, he wonders about knocking again but before he does, the door swings open. Rouge stood there, a towel on her head and toothbrush in her mouth. She blinks, seeing Silver. "Ilver? Wha ah you oing ere?" The white hedgehog stares ar her, not understanding her gibberish. Rouge quickly spits into the grass. "I said, what are you doing here?" The bat still had toothpaste around her mouth, but Silver ignores it. "I'm here looking for Shadow... Do you know where he is?"

Tilting her head slightly, Rouge furrows her brows. "Why do you want to know? Are you trying to get even? If so, we can make it even here and now." Silver quickly puts his hands up, showing her that wasn't what he meant. "No, no! I-I want to make a trade..." Rouge listens, curious. "With... Shadow?" Silver nods, making Rouge shrug. "Fine... Come on in." She moves aside, allowing Silver to walk inside.

"So what kind of trade are you talking about?" Rouge asks. Silver rubs his arm. "I was hoping to discuss that with Shadow..." Rouge blinks, then presses on her communicator. "Shadow, come back to my place. Pronto." A deep voice on the other end soon responds. "What for?" Rouge rolls her eyes, pressing the button once again. "Just do it." Once again, she gets a response. "Fine. I'll be there in five." Rouge looks at Silver. "While he's still gone... What made you think of this... trade?"

Silver looks down. "W-well... I... I don't really know, but... it involves the chaos emerald." Rouge suddenly listens more closely. "Oh, really?" Silver nods. "And what do you want in return?" Silver bites his bottom lip. That's what he had wanted to discuss with Shadow. He didn't necessarily feel comfortable telling Rouge. "Uh... well, you see... I thought it could be just between me and Shadow..." Rouge blinks, slightly confused. "Why?" Sighing in defeat, Silver decides to tell her. "I-I just want to-"

Suddenly, the door opens and the dark hedgehog walks in. He freezes seeing Silver, then looks at his bat friend for an explanation. Rouge gestures to the young hedgehog. "Silver here wants to propose a trade. One that has something you'll want." Shadow looks at Silver expectantly whilst closing the door. Silver fiddles with his thumbs, gulping nervously. "I can give you the chaos emerald..." Seeing Shadow's ears perk in interest, Silver continues. "In exchange... for... well, time together..."

Shadow blinks in confusion. "What do you mean by that?" Silver looks at his hands. "Like... Maybe get a coffee... or something..." Shadow blinks once again. "Is that all?" Silver looks up at him, nodding. Rubbing his chin, Shadow thinks about it. "When will I get the emerald?" Stuttering, Silver responds. "I-I can't give it to you immediately... But I promise you that you'll get it." Shadow nods, without thinking twice. "It's a deal."

At that remark, Silver's heart flutters. Silver smiles, proud that his plan had worked. "So, t-tomorrow would be good... My place? I live in the apartment complex on the west side of Metropolis." Shadow nods once again. Silver nearly squeals from excitement, but luckily keeps his calm. "Tomorrow then... I-I'll wait outside my apartment. Third floor, by the way." Silver walks over to the door, making Shadow move out of the way. "B-bye..." Silver says, as he exits. Shadow simply waves. Closing the door, Silver starts to skip away. He felt like he could walk on air!

Shadow watches from the window, then shakes his head. Rouge smirks. "He's _so_ into you." Having made that comment, Rouge receives a nasty glare from Shadow. "What? I'm just stating the obvious. For once try to be nice to him, Shadow. It'd be a shame for his little heart to be crushed." Shadow snorts. "Yeah, yeah. Oh, by the way, you have something on your face." Rouge scowls, grabbing a tissue and wiping her mouth. Tomorrow would be something else.

 **( Just for good measure, I want to alert you all that everyone is four years older than their canon selves. For example, Silver is 18 in this fiction. Anyway, thank you for reading. More chapters to come. )**


	4. Train Wreck

**( Disclaimer: Sonic the hedgehog and all other characters do not belong to me and belong to Sega and Sonic Team respectively.** **And a warm thank you to** **RaCHyyTheMaskedWarrior, I appreciate your opinion. I try to make the characters in... well, character as much as possible. :) )**

As Silver waited outside his apartment door, he checks his watch. It was eight AM. Silver sighs. He hadn't given Shadow a specific time, and hadn't thought of it while he was at Rouge's since his head was spinning. If he had just kept his thoughts straight! Grunting, Silver shakes his head. The past was the past, and it already happened. The only thing he could do is wait. He leans on his door, then slowly slides down to the floor.

Hearing the elevator bing, Silver turns his head to look. His hopes were up until a human walked out of it. Pouting, Silver crosses his legs. He was like a needy child crying about something in the store, except he wasn't making a loud fuss. After a few more people come and go, the ivory hedgehog was starting to get impatient. Checking his watch once again, he sees that only ten minutes had past. _Maybe Shadow isn't coming..._ He shakes his head. He had to be patient. It was only fair, after all. He hadn't given Shadow a set time, and this was his punishment. Silver sticks his tongue out, deciding to play his own little version of I Spy. After spotting colors and shapes galore, the hedgehog heard the elevator bring once again, but continued to look at his surroundings after assuming it was just another human: He hadn't looked in the direction, but was fairly certain.

However, he jumped when a husky voice was suddenly heard beside him. "Are you going to keep me waiting?" Silver looks up, seeing Shadow standing before him. How long had he been standing there? Silver quickly slips his tongue back into his mouth, then stands up and gives Shadow a nervous smile. "S-sorry... U-uh.. How long were you there?"

Shadow stares, indicating that he didn't care enough to answer. Silver sighs mentally. He had to gain this guy's trust before he could really do anything else. "Well, anyway... Come on in..." Silver opens the door and walks in, then steps aside so Shadow can follow. Once inside, Shadow looks around. Silver walks past him, casting him a friendly smile. "Do you want anything? Water, coffee, juice-" Shadow puts his hand up, giving Silver a sign that he didn't want anything. "Okay... Then, just take a seat, I guess..." Shadow soon takes a seat on the couch, but continued to look around as if he thought he was being tricked.

Silver stands there for a bit. _He really doesn't trust me... I'll just have to change that._ Snapping out of his trance, he realizes that Shadow was staring at him. Silver blinks then giggles nervously. _God, I'm a mess..._ "A-are you sure you don't want anything?" Shadow just blinks in response. "When am I going to get the chaos emerald?" Silver gulps. He hadn't exactly thought this part through. Blaze had taken the emerald that they had, and was out somewhere hiding it. Silver bites his bottom lip, thinking of a response. "When... I think it is time." Apparently that wasn't that answer Shadow wanted to hear, and simply scoffed and turned his head away. Silver sighs, then sits down beside Shadow. "Look, I don't want you to feel like you're in some kind of prison or trap or whatever... I just want you to be comfortable." This seemingly grabs Shadow's attention; He had turned his head to look at his host. Silver continues, "And I know you might not take anything I say seriously, but all I ask of you is to please... Just unwind a little. All I'm really asking..."

Shadow blinks, then closes his eyes. "No offense, but you're one of the last people I'd get comfortable around." _Ouch..._ Silver rubs his arm and looks away, hurt. "Oh... okay." Shadow snorts, then opens his eyes. "You don't have to sound so afflicted." Silver pouts, thinking about that statement. _Are my emotions really that noticeable?_ He wasn't so much as hurt now, just a bit more annoyed. Shadow didn't have to be so rude! Silver clears his throat. "And you don't have to be so blunt. Need I remind you that _I'm_ the one with the chaos emerald?" That seemed to have hit the mark on Shadow, which made the striped hedgehog frown. Silver hides his smirk, knowing he had the upper hand. "Yes, well, _I'm_ the one who can wring your neck. Just because you made a deal with me, doesn't mean we're friends." Shadow snaps back.

Once again, Silver's spirits diminish. It was hopeless to argue. But what did Shadow like? Did he even like _anything_? Besides himself? An idea pops into his head. Maybe if he flattered the guy, he'd open up. Silver leans back, putting his hands together. "Alright, alright... I don't want to argue. So, uh..." Silver blanks. He knew there was something he could compliment him about. But he'd only heard bits and pieces of gossip from nearby conversations. "You... defeated Black Doom years ago? I didn't hear much of how it went, but uh... I heard you were pretty great."

Shadow pouts, remembering practically every breathing moment of it. "Hardly. Everyone was after me, and couldn't recognize which side I was on. It was a mess." Silver nods, listening intently. Shadow continues, "I just wanted to figure out who I was-" He pauses to look at Silver. "I had amnesia at the time." He explains, then realizes something. "Why did you bring this up?" Silver shrugs, not wanting to give himself away. "I just only heard bits of the story... I was curious." Shadow stares, wondering if Silver was just trying to pry into his personal matters. "Yes. Well, this was years ago. It was all said and done. Everyone is forgiven." The dark hedgehog lies through his teeth to avoid any more conversation.

Silver looks down at the carpeted floor. "Oh, I heard something about a Maria girl..." The black hedgehog freezes. The young hedgehog looks back up at him. "Was she like your friend?" Silver realizes he shouldn't have brought up the girl once he sees Shadow's facial expression. There was something ominous about the look in his eyes. Something that was _not_ to be tampered with. The blankness and lack of emotion was... unnerving to say the least. _Yikes... I hit a note..._ Silver bites his bottom lip nervously, then stutters out a response. "Uhh... N-nevermind..." He quickly glances away, afraid of the possibility that his soul might be sucked out of his body. Shadow closes his eyes, uttering one last statement.

"She was not my friend. She was my family. She cared for me, and I cared for her. Despite the fact that I do not remember much of her, I will respect her last wish. To protect the people of Earth, and make sure that they are happy." Shadow stands up, grasping his fists. "For as long as I may live, I do not intend to break the promise I made to her." Silver sat there silently, not knowing what to say next. Should he give Shadow sympathy or stay silent or...

Silver then realizes that Shadow was walking over to the door. Panicking, he gets up and rushes over, getting in front of the dark hedgehog. "Wait! Uh..." _I don't want it to end like this... on such a sour note._ "Please... Stay longer." Shadow blinks slowly, as if he was thinking of something, or hadn't heard what Silver said (although Silver was right in front of him). "Why do you _really_ want me around," Shadow asks. Silver looks down at the floor, fiddling with his thumbs. "I... just really want to know you better. Become... friends, or something of the sort," the white hedgehog admits. It wasn't a lie, but... It wasn't the complete truth.

"Why," Shadow asks, suddenly sounding more menacing. Suddenly, he pushes Silver against the wall, making him gasp. Silver, frozen with fear, stares at Shadow. " _Why?_ I know there's a reason! Don't try and fool me with lies! I've been through enough of that to see through them!" He folds his ears back, gaze hardening. Silver could only stare back, eyes wide with terror. It seems like hours passed before either of them made another move, and Silver could feel his heart pounding. For a brief second, he thought he saw Shadow's hard gaze falter. _Was that regret? Realization? Guilt? What was that?_ But before he could make sure of anything, Shadow lets go of him and turns away.

Closing his eyes and rubbing his face out of irritation, Shadow turns back around. "Look, I just don't want trouble, okay?" Shadow opens his eyes and stops. Silver had his hand over his chest and was breathing in swift gasps. Perhaps Shadow had been wrong about him... Looking away, Shadow mutters an apology, but he probably didn't hear it anyway. Stepping back, he allows Silver to get his grip. "I need to go," Shadow explains. Hearing that, Silver steps away from the door. "P-please... Come back tomorrow. I-I'd appreciate it." He gives a faint smile.

Shadow has no initial reaction, but stiffly nods. "If you wish... Same time?" Silver nods back. The air was heavy, from their close-up experience. Shadow was glad to leave, and quickly opens the door, exiting. Silver groans, leaning onto the wall. It took a lot out of him to not panic and use his telekinesis. Emotionally drained, he walks over and plops himself onto the sofa face-first. He couldn't help but start thinking about Shadow's one moment of weakness. _What **really** was it? It looked more of a realization of what he was doing, but... Could it have been something else?_ His mind ran through every detail, so desperately trying to pick out anything that could have been identified as... well, in a sense, anything that involved Shadow possibly having _feelings_ for him back. But _that_ was a _huuuge_ stretch. Sighing, Silver turns onto his back and closes his eyes. He needed a nap. Maybe if he had a clear head, he could think straight. _Tomorrow is going to be a wreck... Maybe this was all a bad idea._

 **( Oh my goodness, I've been so lazy... I haven't even worked on this chapter for so long. I even kind of rushed it. I was going to make this chapter a bit longer, but I decided that it would be better to give you guys a chapter since it's been so long since I've published one. Sorry for the delay, and don't worry! I will finish the story! I hate it when others don't finish their stories, so I won't make you guys go through that. Just please have patience, loves. And thank you, IslandoftheMidnightSun, I appreciate the critique.~)**


	5. Remembrance

**( Some things I didn't explain last chapter might have been confusing everyone. I need to get it out that this is PRE-main story. Sorry if its been a little confusing where I was starting off and going. Also, school has started for me and its gonna be harder for me to put chapters out there. Sorry for the inconvenience. DISCLAIMER: Sonic The Hedgehog and all other characters belong to Sega and Sonic Team respectively. )**

Waiting for the elevator door to open, Shadow ponders about the recent incident between Silver and himself. _Who does Silver think he is, bringing up Maria like that? Then again, he didn't know..._ Shadow shakes his head. It didn't matter now. _Just worry about tomorrow... Hopefully he will give me the emerald soon._ Hearing a bing, he waits for the door to slowly slide open, then steps out. _Just need to head back to Rouge's... Maybe she has an idea for what this is all about._

Observing his surroundings as he stepped out of the building, he spots a face that was all too familiar to him. _No, not him... I don't want to deal with him right now..._ Shadow folds his ears back as he turns to head the opposite direction, but the very one he was trying to avoid was suddenly right in front of him. Shadow sighs in defeat and frustration. "What do you want, Sonic?"

Sonic gives the brood a cheery smile. "Aw, nothin'! Just trying to see how your date went!" Hearing that statement, Shadow holds back an irritated groan. He wanted nothing more than to just bash the idiot's head in. "Number one, it wasn't a date. Number two, butt out. You're always sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong." Sonic tilts his head slightly, rubbing his chin. Chuckling, Sonic closes his eyes while holding that same smile. "Well if it wasn't a date, what would you call it," Sonic queried. "A business meeting?" He teased, opening his eyes.

"Yes," Shadow responds, before turning away. Sonic zips around to face him, but this time with a rare, more serious look. "You're not... Avoiding me, are you? Are you still shaken from last-" Shadow instinctively slaps him to keep him quiet. "No one can know about that." He suddenly lowers his voice, as Sonic rubs his raw cheek. "Look, I just don't want to go through that again, alright? Just... leave me alone. I mean it." Something suddenly clicks in his head. "How... did you know I was with Silver?" Sonic chuckles, immediately cheering up. "Rouge," he responds. Shadow facepalms, then looks back at Sonic. _Why does she just give me away like that?_ "Damn her..."

Sonic snickers, then puts his hands on his hips. "I just wanted to check in on ya..." Shadow casts him a dark look. "I don't need to be checked on." Sonic rubs his nose with his index finger. "Not from what I've experienced." The dark hedgehog scowls, showing his dislike. "Just leave me alone, like I said. I have business..." He turns and walks away, stiff with anger. Sonic scoffs, shaking his head. "That guy is such a piss-off..."

After a lot of thinking and slow walking, Shadow eventually walks into Rouge's house. He didn't need to knock; For one, he didn't care and for two, they were close enough. Shadow glances around, looking for Rouge. He perks his ears as he hears footsteps walking downstairs, then crosses his arms. As the bat's heels clacked down the staircase, her hips swayed sassily. Shadow tapped his foot impatiently. Rouge waves, then gives him a friendly smile. "Hey handsome." Shadow looked unamused by her comment, raising a brow. "Hey, at least say I'm beautiful back." She adds teasingly, walking past him. She takes a seat on the couch. "Well, you gonna just stand there like a brick wall or are you gonna tell me about your little date?"

Shadow facepalms, then gives her a nasty glare. "It wasn't a date!" Shadow snarls. Rouge crosses her leg over, pouting. "Just joking... Don't have to be snotty." Taking a seat next to her, Shadow rubs his face. "Whatever... Anyway..." Rouge crosses her arms. "Not gonna say sorry?" Shadow mutters an apology, then continues on. "What do you really think... about this whole situation? You know... with Silver."

Rouge shrugs, then looks up at the ceiling. "Like I said, I think he likes you. That's why he wants to spend more time with you." Shadow looks down at the carpeted floor, taken aback by some memories. "Rouge... You know how weary I am of having relationships. Especially now, after all that..." The bat shushes him, then places a hand on his shoulder. She gives him a sympathetic look. "I know, Shadow... I know what you've been through. And it's absolutely your choice on whether or not to get close to him."

"I just..." Shadow sighs, feeling mixed emotions. "I don't know... How do I deal with this? I don't it to end up like-" Rouge puts her index finger against Shadow's mouth. "Shadow, just... Be friendly with him. For now. Until you know for sure. He might just want to be friends, you know." Shadow pondered the idea, but still thought it was unlikely. Why would someone want to spend more time with another if they just wanted to be friends? Shadow looks up at Rouge, who was now looking back at him. "Alright... I'll do my best." Rouge smiles, then pats Shadow's back. "Good. Now go take a shower and get ready for today's mission." Shadow raises a brow. "Mission?" Rouge smirks, waving her finger. "Mama's going jewel hunting tonight. You're coming with." Shadow groans, thinking that he should've known.

The next day, Shadow was already walking back to Silver's. _Just... Act natural. It'll be awkward, but fine._ He walks down the hallway, looking for Silver's room number. Luckily, he didn't have to look for it in the end: Silver was sitting outside the door like the previous day. Hearing footsteps, Silver looks and smiles at Shadow. It was almost as if yesterday never happened. Silver stands up, clasping his hands together. "You came back..." Shadow blinks, realizing that Silver was happy simply because he had decided to come back and visit. "Of course... I'm not breaking the deal." Silver nods and turns around to open his door. He turns back around, then gestures for his guest to go in first. Shadow mumbles a thanks then walks in.

"So uh... Sorry about yesterday." Shadow puts up his hand to silence Silver. "No need to apologize. Just don't bring it up again." Silver nods again, closing the door behind him. "I understand. So, what do you want to do? I mean, I don't necessarily have anything planned." Shadow closes his eyes and rubs his chin, thinking. "We could just... Go out for drinks, or something." Silver tilts his head a little, looking at Shadow. "You don't like coffee though, right?" Shadow wringles up his nose in disgust. "No. Rouge drinks it, but I hate it." Silver chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck a bit. "It's one of my favorite drinks. But... we could go for a walk or something and just talk. I'd like that..."

Shadow sits on the couch, getting comfortable."... Or just stay here," Silver adds. Shadow leans back, trying to be as relaxed as he looked. "So where's that cat? Don't you two live together or something?" Silver nods, but looks away as if there was something to hide. "Yeah, but uh... She's been... out." Shadow raises a brow, interest peaking a little. Silver had avoided his question in a way. Shadow tilts his head. "Out where?" Silver shifts his weight uncomfortably, then shakes his head. "Somewhere. She doesn't tell me sometimes." Shadow's suspicions were rising, but he decides not to question Silver further.

"So uh..." Silver stands there awkwardly, fiddling with his hands. _He says that a lot_ Shadow thinks. _Nervous, I guess._ His anxious body posture gave away his emotions all too well. Shadow crosses his arms, then suddenly gets an idea. "Hey, Silver... Come here." Silver blinks, then slowly obeys his command. Sitting down, he avoids Shadow's gaze. _Usually I wouldn't do this, but..._ Shadow, using his index finger, gently makes Silver turn his head and look directly into Shadow's eyes. His face was void of emotion, and his intentions seemed unusual to Silver. _This seems like manipulation. But if I have to do it to know, then..._ Shadow leans in closer to Silver. Tilting his head slightly, he narrows his eyes a little. The other hedgehog simply stared back, immobilized. "So, Silver the hedgehog... What do you _really_ think of me?" _I hope Rouge is wrong._

Silver pulls away and covers his face quickly to hide his reddening face. His ears and cheeks felt hot. Shadow holds back a sigh, realizing that Rouge was... _right._ Silver was smitten with him. _No... I can't feel that way towards another... Not again._ Shadow moves away, suddenly uncomfortable. Silver peeks over at him, curious. "I... just remembered... I have a meeting with Blaze... At... the mall..." Silver could barely spit his words out. He stands up then quickly runs over to open the door. "S-sorry, but I have to get ready..." Shadow blinks slowly. His excuse wasn't even valid. _He'd said that Blaze was out... How could he have a meeting with her?_ But Shadow understood: It was so Silver could avoid another awkward situation. So, Shadow gets up and leaves the residence. Today had been... something else. It hadn't even lasted long. Maybe ten minutes, at most.

Since going back to Rouge's was really his only option, he decides that talking to her about it all would make him feel better. He walks up to the door slowly, but stops. Something was... off. Shadow looks around, to see if he was being watched. But, he only saw a jogger on the opposite side of the street. "Hm..." Shadow shrugs it off, then enters the house. Little did he know however, he _was_ being watched. Secretly, from the _shadows..._

 **( Thank you, AngieWr** **! I appreciate all positive feedback. I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. )**


	6. Acceptance

**( Thank you so much to AngieWr! Honestly these good reviews get me motivated! I'm glad you like the story! Plus, I'm sorry this chapter has been taking sooo long. DISCLAIMER: Sonic and all other characters belong to Sega and Sonic team respectively. )**

Taking cautious steps up the steep, snowy slope of the mountain, Blaze kept her senses alert. If she lost her composure now, it would be deadly. But taking the Chaos emerald to such a dangerous and remote place would offer it a lower chance of being found. Blaze closes her eyes and stopped in her tracks. Even though she was a pyrokinetic, the strong winds here made her unsure as to if she could even start a flame. But with her teeth chattering, and body shivering, she didn't have many other options. Opening her eyes and feeling the cold winds against her face, she could see that a blizzard was starting up. _If I don't find shelter soon, I'm going to turn into a frozen cat!_

Shaking off a bit of frost, Blaze looks around for some kind of refuge from the wind.She spots a small overhang, just barely visible in the distance. _How convienient..._ She briskly makes her way over and sits on the frigid ground. It didn't shield her from the wind completely, but she'd have to make do. She gently cups her hands, concentrating. A small flame forms in the palm of her hands, the heat reminding her of how cold she really was. _I really should've picked a different spot to take this damn thing..._ And losing her coat hadn't helped. While she had been trekking up the lower part of the mountainside, strong winds had stolen it away from her while it had been slung over her shoulder... If only she'd kept it on! Closing her eyes, Blaze thinks about Silver... How was he faring? Was he doing well? Did he forget how to set the washer again? _Probably..._

The sound of footsteps through the crisp snow abruptly interrupted her thoughts. Eyes shooting open, Blaze's ears prick and listen. She swiftly blows the flame out, not being the target of any unwanted attention. But strangely... the crunching sound of footsteps disappears. Anxiety levels rising, Blaze squints and tries to see if she could see anyone nearby. Perhaps it was above her? Had they already seen her? Shrinking back, she contemplates whether or not it would be a good idea to step out. It might be a hiker- Possible salvation. Or something worse... _I don't want to think about what might be worse..._ Standing up cautiously, she peeks out and around. _No one seems to be here... Was I just hearing things?_

Suddenly, cold hands wrap around Blaze's mouth and waist. Blaze's eyes widen in alarm, as she grabbed onto her prepetrator's arms and started to kick and struggle. Using her strength, Blaze tried to flip the attacker over; But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't even make them budge. _It's like they're glued to the ground!_ In the struggle, the Chaos emerald fell from one of Blaze's inside pockets and landed in the snow with a soft thump. Blaze hissed in annoyance and tried to glance at just who it was; Why would anyone else be up here to attack someone like this? However, just before she could get a good look, she lost her footing and slipped. The attacker let go and Blaze screamed, nearly falling off the cliffside. She looked down and... Oh boy. Oh. Boy. If there was anything Blaze was afraid of... it was heights. Her scream echoed in the gorge below. _Oh my god, get me away from the edge!_

Desperately trying to reach for something- Anything- Blaze tried to keep herself calm to refrain from making her situation worse. Unfortunately, she felt a cold shoe press against her back and push her off the ledge. Blaze could feel everything around her slow down as she fell towards the abyss below. Even her heartbeat felt slow... And she began to see images of her own life flash before her eyes.

 **Flashback**

 _Both sat by the end of the wooden pier, the soft sound of waves licking the beach's shore and seagulls calling out above them only making the calm sunset even more pleasurable._ _Blaze and Silver looked out towards the sky, stricken by its beauty. Silver let out a contented sigh and closed his eyes. "It's nice to know that... even though all the bad things in life get us down, we still have precious moments like these. We can't let life always bring us down." Blaze wished to share his outlook on their situation- they were very tight on money, even with the occasional help from Sonic. They couldn't even afford their own place._ _"Yeah... I guess so," Blaze replied. "But right now, we're at rock bottom, Silver. We can barely afford to feed ourselves everyday."_

 _Silver opened his eyes and looked at his feline friend. "Yeah, well, the good thing about hitting rock bottom is that the only place left to go is up. Isn't that right?" He cracked a smile and put out his hand for her to hold. Blaze looks down at his hand, then gives him a warm smile, touched by his optimism._ _She gently placed her hand atop his. "I appreciate your outlook, but... We're broke, Silver. We can't do a whole lot."_ _She gave his hand a little squeeze. Silver chuckled a little, then looked back out towards the sunset. "We'll always have each other, right?" Blaze looked back towards the sunset as well. "Of course, Silver. Of course."_

 _"Then why worry? We have connections. They could always hook us up. Stay positive, Blaze. We'll get through it, I'm sure." Silver closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Of course we can't rely on them all the time... But they still care." The violet cat thought for a second, then nodded. "True... just don't get used to it," She said whilst giving him a nudge. He opens his eyes and looks at her, giving her a toothy smile. "I'll try not to!" Blaze smiles, making herself a promise: Take care of her goofy friend, no matter what._

 **End of Flashback**

 _I failed him..._ _I failed my best friend. I'm so sorry._ Blaze watched as the abyss started to consume her, swallowing her deeper into the mountain. She could feel the blood pumping in her veins from adrenaline and hear her heartbeat as clear as the outcome of her situation. _I won't be able to see Silver again. Or... him._ _Sonic, always with his charming smile. I'll never be able to love him... I'll never be able to admit my feelings..._

 **Flashback**

 _Sonic and Blaze made their way down the busy street, standing close together so they wouldn't get bumped apart. Car horns were honking noisily and taxis were zooming by quickly. The crosswalks were absolutely taken over by people. Sonic groans irritably, putting his hands behind his head. "Blaze, wherever it is you're taking me, couldn't we have ran there? We'd be there by now if we had." Blaze shakes her head. "You're so impatient... I understand why, but we're almost there. Will you stop complaining?"_ _Sonic yawns dramatically, emphasizing how absolutely bored he was. "Fiiine," He replied._ _"What kind of place is it? I hope it has f-" Blaze covers his mouth with her hand, an irritation mark appearing on her forehead. "Quiet, you... We're here now." Sonic immediately perks up, looking around. It was a small Grill-N-Bar food place. Sonic gives Blaze a smirk. "You drink?" Blaze face palms; She was underage, and he knew very well._ _"Just go inside!"_

 _Sonic shrugs, then does what she says. The interior of the building contained red plastic booths, wooden tables, ceiling lamps, and a red and white tile pattern floor which made a tapping sound when stepped on. The air smelled of freshly cooked burgers and fries, which made both of them eager to order something. Blaze sat down at a booth near a window, Sonic taking a seat across from her. Reaching for a menu,_ _both of their hands touched. Blaze quickly moved hers away, looking at Sonic. "Oh, uh... you first," Blaze offered. Sonic simply smiled and grabbed two menus, taking one for himself and giving her the other. "Sooo... you gonna tell me why you brought me here?" Sonic smirked, tapping the table. "Or do I have to wait?"_

 _"Well, if we're going to be honest... I brought you here so we could... Just enjoy some time together." Blaze looks down, trying to calm her nerves. "Awe, Blaze, if you wanted my autograph, you could've just asked," Sonic tease_ _d._ _Hissing, Blaze hides her face with the menu to hide her irritation. She enjoyed his company, yes, but he also tested her patience. "Alright, what do you what already? I'm paying..."_ _Instead of getting an answer, the menu in front of her got pulled down. Sonic leans forward, chin resting in one hand. "Blaze, come on now. We both know why we're here..." Blaze stared into his eyes, pulled in by his charming tone. He rests his hand upon hers, making her gaze falter._ _"I..." Blaze started to speak, but before she could say anything else, Sonic's communicator went off. "Sonic! Eggman's attacking Station Square! Come quick!" Sonic suddenly stands up, pressing the button on his wrist. "Don't worry, Tails, I'll be there soon!" Blaze sighs, disheartened. She had been really looking forward to having some time with Sonic. The blue hedgehog looks over at her, then smiles softly. "Awe, don't worry, Blaze. I can always squeeze time in later." Sonic gives her a wink, before he dashed off. Blaze rests her chin in her hands, closing her eyes. Oh, Sonic, will I ever get a chance with you? It seems you're always running off..._

 **End of Flashback**

 _I'll never get to see him again..._ _That wonderful smile of his, and his beautiful eyes. Goodbye, my love... Goodbye, everyone. Please, Silver... Take care of yourself._ There was a brief moment of silence, then a soft thud at the bottom of the ravine. Meanwhile, atop the cliff, stood the dark figure who had attacked Blaze. They pick up the Chaos Emerald and glance it over, before looking back over the edge.

"Step one is complete."

 **( Sorry this took so long, hhh.. I'll try to upload the next one soon. )**


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